Discussion Round 1 Best 22

[SK_MD_#7]

I really hope that Shane Savage can move back to the position we originally recruited him for on the wing and perform.

He was good at HB but we had a lot of injuries to our HB types which is why Sav got moved back there. I'd personally prefer him on the wing using his pace etc..

 

[felsty]

I really hope that Shane Savage can move back to the position we originally recruited him for on the wing and perform.

He was good at HB but we had a lot of injuries to our HB types which is why Sav got moved back there. I'd personally prefer him on the wing using his pace etc..

I thought he got moved there because he was playing terribly and couldnt build any form? Sit him behind the ball and tell him to forget about everything else and just run hard and straight and kick long

 

[SaintLex]

I really hope that Shane Savage can move back to the position we originally recruited him for on the wing and perform.

He was good at HB but we had a lot of injuries to our HB types which is why Sav got moved back there. I'd personally prefer him on the wing using his pace etc..

Yeah, agree.

Like felsty mentioned, he was moved to HB to try play himself into some form. It worked and he performed very well in the latter half of the season, but the expectations have to be raised again. We need to see what he can do on a wing.

At the end of the day, if he can't make it in any other position, well we've still got ourselves an excellent HB flanker, but given it's a role usually handed to the younger blokes trying to find their feet, you'd hope Sav can excel in other positions as well. Especially because Richo's all about versatility.

 

[hayes]

If Roberton could find some form again that would open up a few possibilities. Still though I'd be hesitant to move Sav from HB because of how important foot skills are back there and we're not exactly stacked with those types of options.....yet.

 

[SK_MD_#7]

I thought he got moved there because he was playing terribly and couldnt build any form? Sit him behind the ball and tell him to forget about everything else and just run hard and straight and kick long

Yeah probably didn't word it good enough.

We also had a lot of injuries back there as well though which also would have been a big factor in the decision to play him down back.

If Roberton could find some form again that would open up a few possibilities. Still though I'd be hesitant to move Sav from HB because of how important foot skills are back there and we're not exactly stacked with those types of options.....yet.

PB time trial for Robbo.. Surely has to be a bit of a positive with the ankle?

I also hope he can.

 

[L_W_P]

I honestly think we can play both Longer and Hickey in the same side. Hickey is good enough up forward to become a David Hale type prosect.

Start Longer as the #1 ruck to soften the opposition up and then late in qtrs Hickey can use his running power to get away from the stoppages and become a threat.

Then Billy goes hard at the man for 5-7 minutes at the start of the last before being subbed off as Hickey uses his tank (and the energy saved by playinh forward) to run out the game.

This is the basic stratagy that the Hawks use. It wont change either as they will just play Ceglar instead of Hale going forward.

Very do-able imo.

 

[TN25]

I don't think Hickey will be able to play forward yet. Needs more development

 

[Nutsngum]

I don't think Hickey will be able to play forward yet. Needs more development

He will be fine. He wont be drawing the best defenders when he moves forward and his height will help him overcome whoever does get put on him. He is a good contested mark and should do fine I reckon.

We only need him to average a goal or so a game to be useful up forward. Doable.

 

[hayes]

He will be fine. He wont be drawing the best defenders when he moves forward and his height will help him overcome whoever does get put on him. He is a good contested mark and should do fine I reckon.

We only need him to average a goal or so a game to be useful up forward. Doable.

Sounds easy but Stanley who's a better forward than Hickey couldn't do it. I think you're undervaluing how hard it is to play forward if you think a tall player can just go down there and plunk marks. Ask Sandilands how easy that is.

 

[SK_MD_#7]

I'd assume with Rhys gone they're spending a lot more time with the forward coaches and training with the forwards then they probably would have previous pre-seasons.

 

[Nutsngum]

Sounds easy but Stanley who's a better forward than Hickey couldn't do it. I think you're undervaluing how hard it is to play forward if you think a tall player can just go down there and plunk marks. Ask Sandilands how easy that is.

The problem is that we were expecting Stanley to really break out and become a high output 2nd tall forward.. of which he just couldnt seem to do in any sort of consistent level. As I said, if Hickey can go forward and consistently boot a goal or so a game then that will be enough to justify running two pure forwards.
Dean Cox, who is touted as one of the best rucks who also played forward, had a highest goal count of 28 in 2012. Thats all the level I think Hickey needs to achieve to be a success.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

probably easier for Spencer or Paddy or Bruce to win the odd tap out ( only until either Longer or Hickey get their breath back ) than for those guys to play most of a game forward.

 

[borderbarry]

I would play Hickey in a forward pocket in a Kosi role, but he would spend more time on the ball than Kosi did.

 

[Saint_J]

I don't think Hickey will be able to play forward yet. Needs more development

i think he can. showed he can do it in the GWS game

 

[TN25]

i think he can. showed he can do it in the GWS game

I still reckon it could be improved so he is a solid foil to Riewoldt and the rest of our forwards.

 

[Saint_J]

I still reckon it could be improved so he is a solid foil to Riewoldt and the rest of our forwards.

give him time i rate Tom, could be our next Charlie G.

 

[King_Steele]

give him time i rate Tom, could be our next Charlie G.

I was thinking more Ryan Gamble

 

[TN25]

give him time i rate Tom, could be our next Charlie G.

I am willing to give him time. Unlike some guys who think we should trade him or Billy in 1-3 years

 

[Saint_J]

I am willing to give him time. Unlike some guys who think we should trade him or Billy in 1-3 years

also don't agree with that, big boys take time. but i do hope to see some advancements in J Homles this year. He's at that age point but compared to when Pods got going still a baby.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Very surprised at some of the lack of love for Savage, who was fantastic once moved to the HBF and I dare say was being effectively tagged by his last game back there, so well was he going and so damaging was he. Ideally we'd want him doing that on the wing, but if he's not producing there then he is a lock for a HBF if he's playing like he was there this year. Move the likes of Webster and Newnes to the wing if need be and Wright to the guts (in the VFL, or seniors).

Speaking of that, I reckon the likes of Wright, Saunders, Murdoch and Minchington should all train in the midfield group this preseason and play there in the preseason games and intra-clubs and only play in the AFL if they're pretty much playing well enough in the midfield to warrant a spot. Otherwise, just have them working on thir games in the midfield in the VFL until they are ready. If, after they've been given enough time there they show that they aren't up to playing midfield, then and only then do they go back to playing on flanks and so-on to see if they're going to be good enough there.

We have so many flanks and wing options, but we need to find out ASAP who is going to be able to play midfield going forward, ideally before next year's draft/trade period.

i think he can. showed he can do it in the GWS game

He wasn't positioned forward that day though, he was playing in the ruck and pushed forward (possibly unmanned some of the time), like McEvoy did the year before when he kicked 3 in a game. Big, big difference to actually playing forward and having someone on your clacker the whole time aiming to stop you getting a touch.

Hickey was generally pretty putrid when tried forward in 2013 (especially his kicking for goal, which was as bad as you'll ever see at AFL level), but I did think he gave us a bit when played forward at times this year (or it might have been late in 2013) when he was playing forward and pushing up to the flanks and wings a bit. Due I guess to his big tank, he was able to push up and take a few marks outside 50 and looked pretty comfortable doing so, but of course the problem with that is that you then have him kicking the ball inside the forward 50 and he is not exactly sending bullet, lace-out passes in there, or thumping 55-60m bombs, like Rhys could.

The other thing is that if you have both Longer and Hickey in the team it means that if you also have Roo in there, you may only have one more spot up for grabs for all of White, Lee, Bruce, McCartin and possibly Membrey, which I think is far from ideal, as we'd ideally want to get games and development into all of them.

If we are to play both Hickey and Longer, I think we'd need to be playing Roo on the wing, so that two of White, Lee, Bruce, McCartin and possibly Membrey could also play.

 

[maanco]

Very surprised at some of the lack of love for Savage, who was fantastic once moved to the HBF and I dare say was being effectively tagged by his last game back there, so well was he going and so damaging was he. Ideally we'd want him doing that on the wing, but if he's not producing there then he is a lock for a HBF if he's playing like he was there this year. Move the likes of Webster and Newnes to the wing if need be and Wright to the guts (in the VFL, or seniors).

Speaking of that, I reckon the likes of Wright, Saunders, Murdoch and Minchington should all train in the midfield group this preseason and play there in the preseason games and intra-clubs and only play in the AFL if they're pretty much playing well enough in the midfield to warrant a spot. Otherwise, just have them working on thir games in the midfield in the VFL until they are ready. If, after they've been given enough time there they show that they aren't up to playing midfield, then and only then do they go back to playing on flanks and so-on to see if they're going to be good enough there.

We have so many flanks and wing options, but we need to find out ASAP who is going to be able to play midfield going forward, ideally before next year's draft/trade period.

......

The other thing is that if you have both Longer and Hickey in the team it means that if you also have Roo in there, you may only have one more spot up for grabs for all of White, Lee, Bruce, McCartin and possibly Membrey, which I think is far from ideal, as we'd ideally want to get games and development into all of them.

If we are to play both Hickey and Longer, I think we'd need to be playing Roo on the wing, so that two of White, Lee, Bruce, McCartin and possibly Membrey could also play.

I like the Idea of moving Wright into the midfield, as he is a really explosive player and hard at it.

With Roo I don't really like the idea of putting him on the wing permanently. The role he pays at the moment is pretty much a winger anyway, that pushes forward, which i think works to great effect.

We also need some senior blokes down forward to help direct the young players, something we lack up front.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

From the afl website.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-12-06/your-clubs-best-22


St Kilda
B: Sean Dempster, Luke Delaney, Sam Gilbert
HB: Jarryn Geary, Sam Fisher, Jimmy Webster
C: Farren Ray, Jack Steven, Luke Dunstan
HF: Eli Templeton, Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna
F: Jack Billings, Paddy McCartin, Tim Membrey
R: Tom Hickey, David Armitage, Maverick Weller
I/C: Billy Longer, Seb Ross, Jack Newnes
Sub: Shane Savage
New: Tim Membrey (Sydney Swans)
Unavailable: Nil
Comment: The Saints are playing Greater Western Sydney in round one and they'll be keen to test their new players immediately and give supporters hope after a disappointing 2014. Tim Membrey was recruited as ready-made support for Nick Riewoldt, while there is no reason Paddy McCartin can't be thrown into the cauldron in round one. He would push out Josh Bruce, who moved forward in 2014. After the departure of Rhys Stanley to Geelong, two genuine ruckmen will be required, with Tom Hickey and Billy Longer both working to build their tools in attack. The Saints would be keen to see promising youngster Blake Acres push into the 22 quickly as well as Nathan Wright. Hugh Goddard could find himself making a dream round one start if Sam Gilbert isn't fully fit. - Nathan Schmook

 

[Defacto]

ive been rewatching the games from earlier in the year and its very apparent that we missed eli. just a terrier in the fwd line running from opponent to opponent applying pressure. doesnt get the chance to stick many tackles but the pressure forces turn overs.

we need that tank and zip back. given he's put on some size i think he's a certain starter come round 1 and will probably spend more time on the wing

 

[TN25]

ive been rewatching the games from earlier in the year and its very apparent that we missed eli. just a terrier in the fwd line running from opponent to opponent applying pressure. doesnt get the chance to stick many tackles but the pressure forces turn overs.

we need that tank and zip back. given he's put on some size i think he's a certain starter come round 1 and will probably spend more time on the wing

ELi is one of the players I'm most excited about. He never gives up and he has a huge presence. If only he did something about the hair though

 

[Persevering Saint]

ELi is one of the players I'm most excited about. He never gives up and he has a huge presence. If only he did something about the hair though

Are you nuts?! That hair is a marketing goldmine. His manager will have told him that those stay on his head until he's got to at least 50 games.